


Hopeful Dance

by RainbowSerenity



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Dancing, Dress Up, F/M, Masks, Matchmaking, Vanille Ships It, aw yis, steak dinner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-06-15
Packaged: 2019-05-23 22:45:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14942792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowSerenity/pseuds/RainbowSerenity
Summary: Noel convinces Hope to join him for a matchmaking game at the Patron's palace in Yusnaan. Hope expects nothing but a free meal, but instead gets...a perfect match.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote both of these chapters a year apart for separate hoperai weeks on tumblr. Kinda funny how it worked out ;D People actually seemed to like them a lot and it was requested that I stick them here soooo~

This was the opportunity of a lifetime, but all Hope wanted to do was turn and run.

The thought alone made no sense, but it was no more ludicrous than the entire situation. At its core, this was no more than some kind of speed-dating or matchmaking game, and yet somehow, it was one of the most sought-after events in Yusnaan. Maybe because it took place in the Patron’s Palace.

“So tell me again how this works,” Hope muttered to his friend Noel. “You had me lost after the first thirty seconds.”

“It’s not hard,” Noel replied with a little grin on his face. “They’ll parade the girls down the stairs, and then someone divine comes in and matches you by your auras.”

“……….” Hope rested his fingertips on his forehead. “People actually _pay_ for this?” He stared at his friend. “ _You_ paid for this?”

“Technically, you did. Remember that money I borrowed from you last month?”

“Oh, yeah. You still owe me.”

“Like this isn’t payback enough?”

“No.” Hope sighed in exasperation. “It’s not.”

“C'mon! People have to book their tickets for this thing like six months in advance! These are some of the most beautiful girls in Yusnaan - maybe even the world!”

“Who are getting paraded around like pieces of meat and matched up with no say as to who the other person is?”

“It’s about the _experience_. You’re meeting someone new in a grand palace,” Noel insisted. “Besides, nobody’s allowed to leave the ballroom after they’re matched up, so it’s not like everyone’s paired off and then they go off on their merry way.”

“Oh.” Hope did feel somewhat relieved at the thought. “That’s good, at least.” Eyeroll. “The _only_ good thing.”

Noel just laughed. “Just make sure you’re dressed up and ready at the palace gates by eleven, okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.” He knew that the clock striking eleven would come way too soon.

Sure enough, in what felt like no time at all, he was at the palace gates dress in one of his best suits. A dozen other guys - all around his age - were in line with him, including Noel, who seemed way, way too excited about the event.

“Of course I am,” he replied when Hope called him out on it. “You just never know.  You really _could_ meet the one you’re destined for tonight.” He paused. “Or, you know, just get free food in the palace with a pretty girl for company. Either way, really.”

“Guess we’ll find out.” Personally, Hope didn’t think anyone would meet their soul mate at one of these matchmaking games, but stranger things _had_ happened.

The gates opened at precisely eleven, just as the rest of Yusnaan’s festivities were getting underway. All of the guys quickly had their tickets checked and were then herded into the spacious ballroom, which Hope had to admit really was quite spectacular. The whole palace was pretty grand. Maybe it was why no one ever saw the Patron.

Once they were all lined up in an orderly fashion, everyone fell quiet as a figure in a long, white robe appeared before them, an elaborate veil covering most of her head. To Hope’s surprise, she smiled brightly as she faced them. Most ‘divine’ people he’d met tended to be quite somber. Maybe it was because here, she was getting paid.

“Welcome!” she greeted in a cheery tone that matched her smile. She had an odd accent he’d never heard before. “My name is Dia Vanille. I shall call upon the great powers of light to determine _your_ perfect match tonight!”

Hope clapped politely when everyone else did, but he seemed to be alone in the opinion that this was completely ridiculous.

“And now,” Dia Vanille continued enthusiastically, “here are your perfect matches!”

On cue, several women started walking elegantly down the grand staircase in front of them. They were all dressed similarly in elegant gowns and masquerade masks, perfect for the night life in Yusnaan. Hope stared in a bored fashion…

…until _she_ appeared.

Why she instantly caught his eye, he couldn’t say. Perhaps it was the flowing dress clinging to her, the skirt swirling with every step. Maybe it was her rose-colored hair. Or maybe it was her hesitance, like she been suckered into this like he was.

At any rate, Hope couldn’t take his eyes away.

_I take back everything I thought about this event being stupid. Please, please, please match me with her._

“You are a perfect match!” Dia Vanille was spinning around, the trinkets on her headdress making a huge racket. “You two, and you! You, and you!”

One by one, she matched up the guys and girls. Most of them looked very pleased, though he caught one or two of the girls rolling their eyes from behind their masks. Luckily for Noel, he was matched up with a very dainty-looking girl with long, pale hair whose smile seemed genuine when she took his offered arm.

Hope’s heart was absolutely racing. It was just him and two other guys left. The woman with the rose-colored hair was still there and staring…

…at him?

“You! Helloooo?”

Hope blinked rapidly when he realized that Dia Vanille was peering at him with a bright smile on her face. “Excuse me?”

“Already daydreaming about your perfect match, aren’t you?” She giggled. “Luckily, I’ve got yours right….” She made a grand sweeping gesture. “…here!”

He looked up…

…and met _her_ eyes.

“Come on, now! Don’t be shy!” Dia Vanille grabbed his arm and led him over to the rose-haired woman, though she didn’t go so far as to put their hands together. “You’re a perfect match! I’ve never seen the light shine more brightly on any match in all my days!”

“I’m sure.” The voice came from the rose-haired woman, and while the tone was a sarcastic quip, it was still music to Hope’s ears.

Wait. They’d actually gotten matched?!

Before he could let himself actually take in this little fact, the mystery woman - his match! - had grabbed his arm and led him away from the others. Dia Vanille was already distracted with matching up the remaining people.

Hope was still totally flabbergasted. “Um…”

“Why are you here?”

“What?”

She stared at him, her glare evident even with the mask. “Why are you here?”

“I…I don’t know. I mean - ” Hope usually wasn’t one to stutter and stammer, but something about her eyes left him completely speechless. He could only imagine how far gone he’d be if she took off the mask. “My friend got tickets to this event and dragged me along. I probably wouldn’t have come at all if it wasn’t for him.”

For whatever reason, she seemed to approve of that answer. Her glare morphed into an amused little smirk. “Are you more of a Slaughterhouse fan?”

“Not particularly.” Hope found himself relaxing a bit the more they spoke. Maybe it was just from ease. Maybe it was _her_. But anything was better than acting all stupid and nervous. “I tend to sample the restaurants around here. If someone’s calling their dish a 'microcosm of culinary delight’, there’s no way I can’t taste it.”

“So you’re a foodie, is what you’re saying.”

“….”

She smirked again, looking considerably more relaxed. “And I take it you’ve been to Seedy’s.”

“How’d you guess?”

“I got lucky.” She tugged her gloves up a little. “Have you ever eaten at the Banquet of the Lord?”

“I can’t say that I have.” Similarly, Hope adjusted his tie. “It’s bit out of reach for me.”

“The owner owes me a dinner. Want to get out of here and share it with me?”

“I - what?” For the zillionth time that night, he felt like he was rendered speechless. Or into stuttering, rather. “But - wait, I thought that we were all supposed to stay in the ballroom.”

“Technically, yes.” To the horror of his racing heart, she took his arm and looped it with her own as they started walking. “My sister is the Patron’s wife, though, never mind that she’s the one who made me do this in the first place. No one would stop us.”

“Your sister?” Hope wondered if she’d ever stop surprising him. “Wait, so you know the Patron? What’s he like?”

He could see the eyeroll behind her mask, even as she nodded to a couple of guards as they left the ballroom, still arm-in-arm. “He’s a total idiot. I’ll admit that he provides well for the people, but his personality leaves a lot to be desired.”

“Huh.” He had no idea what to think about that. It wasn’t until hearing the noise of fireworks going off that he realized that they’d not only left the ballroom, but they’d actually gone off the palace grounds. “Wait, we’re seriously going to the Banquet of the Lord?”

“We’re dressed appropriately enough for it, don’t you think?”

Again, Hope’s eyes swept over her. The dress she was wearing seemed to have a life of its own. The skirt swirled with every step, the fabric of it and the jewels she was wearing all beautifully illuminated under the constant fireworks in the sky.

“I…” He cleared his throat. “I take it you don’t dress like this normally.”

“No. But I do like this little addition.” She tapped a corner of her mask, turning to him with the slightest little smile.

How could a total stranger be making his heart _race_?

They made their way through the partygoers, and he wondered if the fact that the Patron was her brother-in-law made her so familiar with the city. He was a pretty frequent visitor to Yusnaan, but there were times where he took a wrong turn.

Before he knew it, though, they were standing on the red carpet to the Banquet of the Lord. It was clearly their peak hours - glitzy-looking people were seated under the fireworks as well-maintained waiters carried expensive-looking plates around.

Not to mention the steak looked pretty good.

“Table for two,” Lightning said to the maître d’. “I believe you’ve been holding it under the name Farron." 

"Ah, ah, yes, Miss Farron.” All attention was immediately on them. “I would love to give you a table, the best I have in fact, but as you see - ” he swept his arms over the area, “it’s quite busy here. Peak hours, as you know.”

“What about it?”

“I had no warning of your arrival! Please, please, let me schedule for for another night,” the maître d’ begged. “Tomorrow night, yes? I’ll reserve our finest table for you?”

She looked unimpressed. “Will there be steak?”

“I beg your pardon, madame?”

“Steak.” She rested a hand on her hip. “You import your meat from the Wildlands, right? And you’re getting a new shipment tomorrow night?”

“Yes, yes, we are.”

“All right. Then set aside your best cuts for myself and him tomorrow night,” she said, gesturing to Hope, who just kind of stood up a little straighter. He had no idea what to make of this conversation. “And as you said, your best table. We’ll be here right on time.”

“ _C'est magnifique!”_

She simply nodded and tugged on Hope’s arm, leading him back down the stairs. “Sorry. I didn’t realize they’d be so busy tonight.”

“I don’t mind,” he replied, still honestly kind of shocked about everything. “I…I’m just amazed that you’d want to give this a second try.”

“I figured I should share the free steak with someone. Might as well be with the only gentleman in this entire city.”

“I don’t know about that.” Hope was shaking his head in amazement. The entire night had swept him away under her masked gaze, and honestly, he didn’t want it to be the last one. They hadn’t even done much, and yet he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a good night. “Who - ”

“Listen, I need to get back to the palace,” she interrupted, placing a finger over his lips. “My sister is probably wondering where I am. I’ll meet you here tomorrow night, okay?” She moved her hand with a little smirk, her blue gaze never leaving his eyes. “We can…talk more.”

“O-Okay.” How did she make him stammer so easily? “Tomorrow night. Right here.”

She nodded, started down the stairs, the fabric of her dress swishing as she walked. “I’ll see you then, Hope.”

“Yeah - wait, what?!” He immediately spun around, but despite the fact that it wasn’t particularly crowded, her rose-colored hair was immediately lost in the hubbub. Since she’d had her mask on the entire night, he couldn’t search out faces, either. It looked like he was just going to have to wait until tomorrow night and cross his fingers that he hadn’t just imagined her.

Either way, one thing was for certain…

He was definitely going to have to thank Noel later.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lightning's late for her date with Hope. Luckily, she has a very compelling reason.

Hope generally considered himself a very patient man. It simply wasn’t in his nature to act otherwise.

But judging from the way he absolutely could not stand still, he had a feeling he was basically projecting nothing but impatience to everyone who passed him by…not that many people would notice, he was sure. There was too much else to look at in Yusnaan.

Like, of course, _other_ people.

But not the _right_ person…

“ _Monsieur_? May I seat you now?”

It was the maître d. Hope jumped a little, still feeling fidgety and impatient, though he tried to hide it. “Not…not yet. I’m awaiting one more.”

“As you wish.” The maître d returned to his post…which was allowing people into the Banquet of the Lord, which, of course, was _the_ most prestigious eatery in all of Yusnaan - in the whole world, maybe.

And he was _supposed_ to be eating there tonight.

Hopefully, it wasn’t to be alone. Just last night, during a matchmaking game - which was one of Yusnaan’s most popular activities to the point where it had a six-month wait list - Hope had been paired with a beautiful, intelligent woman with rose-colored hair. Even though he hadn’t had much faith in the whole game associated with meeting her, he’d honestly felt like it was…well, fate. After all, he was sure he’d never seen her before and the only reason he’d been there at all was because his friend Noel had basically dragged him.

But somehow, before she’d had to rush back to Patron’s Palace and told him she would meet him here at the Banquet of the Lord the next night, she’d let it be known that she knew his name, though he hadn’t uttered it to her once during their little date. 

_I’ll see you then, Hope._

Good thing he hadn’t told any of this to Noel, because the guy would tease that it was something out of a fairy tale. Well, that, and he’d boast about being right all along, that Hope had found his perfect match.

He was starting to think that this rose-haired woman didn’t feel the same way. She wouldn’t be twenty minutes late if she did…right?

Maybe he was just kidding himself. Or maybe he’d just dreamed the whole evening yesterday. The anticipation of waiting for his match after he’d seen her, the way her dress had swirled around her as though it was alive, her desire to not play by the rules…

Oh, geez. He didn’t even know the woman’s _name_ and he was already smitten. Great.

“ _Monsieur_?”

Hope jumped again, feeling a bit foolish at doing so, but he just straightened out his suit jacket and stood up a little more straightly. “Yes?”

“I have been instructed to seat you.”

“Uh…” Immediately, his eyes darted around. Was she here? 

A moment later, however, he visibly deflated. There was no sign of rose-colored hair, which was really the only thing he had to go by, considering she’d been wearing a mask the entire time he’d been with her last night.

“Sir?”

“Yes. I’m coming.” If nothing else, at least he’d get to eat some amazing steak.

To his surprise, the maître d led him to a table near the balcony, which was separated even from the few other tables there. It also had a perfect view of the palace and the stage, where entertainers in Yusnaan usually held their nightly fireworks show.

“Right here, sir.”

“Thank you,” Hope murmured, still shocked by the fact he was _actually_ sitting in the Banquet of the Lord. This was one of the only eateries in Yusnaan he’d actually yet to sample at all. 

A waiter came by and started to pour wine. “Compliments of Miss Farron,” he said.

Wait. He _knew_ that last name!

“Excuse me,” Hope started, “but is she - ”

He was immediately interrupted by a loud booming noise - which, of course, was the fireworks. Though they were always distracting, he’d rarely had time before now to actually sit and watch the show. He had a great view from here.

A crowd of people dressed in elaborate costumes that shone under the spotlight started a choreographed dance on the stage that was slowly rising into the air. He had no clue how the hell they kept their balance. Practice, he supposed. And it definitely wasn’t in vain, because they moved in some incredible ways that made it difficult to tear his eyes away.

It was only when he eventually _did_ look away - to take a sip of wine - that he heard a familiar voice.

“To save the people of this world…I would give all I am!”

Hope nearly choked on the wine and his head whipped back around towards the show. All of the spotlights had dimmed - save for one, where a woman in a long, flowing dress was stepping forward.

It wasn’t.

It _couldn’t_ be…

Her rose-color hair flowed around her as well as the skirts of her dress when she spun in place, finding a sword seemingly out of midair. She took a couple of steps forward, sparks emitting from her hand, somehow - Hope was going to have to ask how that was possible when he stopped _staring -_ and expertly traced her hand along the blade in a fluid motion. It lit up like fire at the touch, illuminating her face even further, which, of course, just made Hope stare some more.

Last night, he hadn’t seen her face, because it’d been obstructed by a mask - he remembered she’d said it was so people wouldn’t bother her. He’d assumed at the time it was because she was the Patron’s sister-in-law, but was this the reason why? This…awe-inspiring performance?

Or because it felt like no one could possibly look away from how her face was lit up?

It was like he’d been punched in the gut. Or like last night, when he’d seen her come down the stairs for the first time. 

“In the name of radiant god, I bear aloft this light,” she continued. Her voice must have been amplified by a microphone, because it was impossible to hear otherwise with all the screaming. Yusnaan was good at that. “

She lifted the sword, setting it on top of some kind of contraption in a dramatic pose. Hope quickly saw that they were some kind of trick torches, since they lit up one by one, forming a circle around her. She twirled around dramatically; but still looking incredibly graceful, pulling off a couple of moves Hope never would’ve even dared to try with a flaming sword - even if the flames were fake; he had no clue - and lit another set of torches. Her voice pierced the crowd again.

"To banish the darkness!”

She struck one more pose, her rose-colored hair falling into place perfectly. As though those words were a catalyst, fireworks suddenly lit up the sky, bursting into scattered colors. Hope was so distracted by them and the subsequent cheering that he didn’t notice that his mystery date had left the stage until long after the spotlight had gone out.

He automatically tried to rise from his chair, like he could just jump from the Banquet of the Lord and jump over to the scene in front of the palace. Ha! He wasn’t _that_ flexible. But he no idea how he was going to find her otherwise.

Was that why she’d insisted he be seated here? So he could watch her? 

…But not reach?

Dramatics were definitely _not_ fun when they were his own life.

“…Hope?”

He immediately straightened, whipping his head around with wide eyes at a familiar voice…one he’d just heard loud and clear just minutes ago.

Somehow, in those few minutes, she came to be standing in front of him. Here. At this table. _Their_ table. He didn’t know whether to stare in awe again or start questioning the laws of time.

“Hey,” he finally managed to greet, grinning before he could help himself. “You…you’re here.”

“I am.” She smoothed out her dress. “I forgot that I was supposed to perform tonight. My sister dragged me to the stage.”

He stared in wonder, getting used to looking at her without the mask covering her face, or without the dramatics of a spotlight. It was her eyes that drew him in so deeply and wonder how he could ever look away.

It was only then that he remembered something incredibly important.

“I feel a little ridiculous asking this,” he admitted, “but…what’s your name?” He paused. “And how did you know mine? From last night, I mean.”

She huffed in amusement. “Your friend Noel is good friends with my sister.” 

“Oh…wait, what?!” He was going to _kill_ Noel.

A smirk formed on her face, like she could tell what he was thinking. “Leave it for later. And…” She looked up at him, the fireworks still dazzling the sky shining in her eyes. “My name is Lightning.”

How fitting, considering how hard she’d struck him just from a glance…but of course, he wasn’t about to say something so ridiculous. Instead, he smiled, holding out her chair. “Lightning. Would you care to join me for dinner?”

She huffed in amusement again, but it was with a smile. “I’d love to.”

He helped her settle into her seat and returned to his own, still unable to look away from her, even when the waiter appeared and filled her wineglass. It was hard to believe that they’d been strangers last night, and now…

“By the way, Hope…”

“Yes?”

She gave him a little smile. “Sorry I’m late.”

He could only grin, especially when they were soon delivered the finest cuts of steak Yusnaan could offer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> say hi to meee on [tumblr](http://rainbowserenity.tumblr.com)~

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [tumblr](http://rainbowserenity.tumblr.com), come say hi~


End file.
